Hootsuite
Outbrain
| Feature | Hootsuite | Outbrain |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | From $99/mo | Contact sales |
| Free Plan | ✗ No | ✗ No |
| Rating | 4.2 / 5 | 3.9 / 5 |
| Best For | enterprise, agencies, marketing-teams, social-media-managers | content-marketers, enterprise-brands, publishers, agencies |
| Founded | 2008 | 2006 |
| Scheduling | ✓ | ✗ |
| Analytics | ✓ | ✗ |
| Social Listening | ✓ | ✗ |
| Inbox | ✓ | ✗ |
| Advertising | ✓ | ✗ |
| Ai Writing | ✓ | ✗ |
| Team Management | ✓ | ✗ |
| Native Ads | ✗ | ✓ |
| Smartfeed | ✗ | ✓ |
| Audience Targeting | ✗ | ✓ |
| Conversion Tracking | ✗ | ✓ |
| A B Testing | ✗ | ✓ |
| Brand Safety | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ Hootsuite Pros
- Supports all major social platforms
- Social listening for brand monitoring
- Comprehensive analytics and reporting
- OwlyWriter AI for content creation
✗ Hootsuite Cons
- Expensive — no free tier
- Interface feels dated
- Steep learning curve for full features
✓ Outbrain Pros
- Premium publisher network
- Good content amplification
- Strong audience targeting
- Better brand safety than competitors
✗ Outbrain Cons
- Higher minimum spend
- Lower volume than Taboola
- Requires quality content to perform
The Verdict
Hootsuite is built for enterprise and agencies, with a focus on scheduling and analytics. Outbrain targets content marketers and enterprise brands and leads with native-ads and smartfeed.
Outbrain uses custom enterprise pricing, while Hootsuite starts at $99/mo — a tangible advantage for teams with a fixed budget.
Neither tool offers a free plan, so factor the subscription cost into your decision from the start.
Hootsuite edges out on user ratings (4.2 vs 3.9). While both are well-regarded, that gap reflects real differences in user satisfaction worth considering.
Feature-wise, Hootsuite offers broader built-in capabilities (7 features vs 6), while Outbrain takes a more focused approach — which can mean a simpler, faster onboarding experience.
Both tools are a solid fit for agencies — in those cases, the decision often comes down to workflow style and how your team prefers to organize work.
Bottom line: Hootsuite has a slight overall edge — but if premium publisher network matters most to you, Outbrain may still be the right call.